US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday urged India and Pakistan to take immediate steps to de-escalate and engage in dialogue, as he pressed Islamabad to end any support for “terrorist groups.”
The two nuclear-armed foes have engaged in deadly confrontations in recent days, after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir, which Pakistan denied.
Rubio, in calls with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, “emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation,” a State Department statement said.
“He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications,” said the statement by spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.
In his call with Sharif, Rubio “reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups.”
He also in the call with the Pakistani prime minister “expressed sorrow for the reported loss of civilian lives in the current conflict.”
India says it has targeted “terrorist camps” on Pakistani territory although officials on both sides have reported civilian casualties including children.
India carried out the attacks after suspected Islamist gunmen killed 26 people, nearly all Hindus, in the tourist town of Pahalgam on the Indian side of divided Kashmir.
India has blamed Pakistan for the attack. Islamabad rejects the charge.
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